Florida House race between Anna Eskamani, Stockton Reeves one of area's most contested

A collection of mailers from House District 47 over the past few weeks. (Ryan Gillespie / Orlando Sentinel)

Mailboxes across Orlando and Winter Park have been stuffed with mailers for much of the past two weeks, dinging Democrat Anna Eskamani for profane language while touting Republican Stockton Reeves as a candidate who can “return to civility.”

At least seven mail pieces paid for by the Republican Party of Florida have reached voters in recent weeks, with many calling Eskamani “extremely vulgar” and highlighting her use of phrases such as “[expletive] the patriarchy,” “We take no [expletive]” and “Pussy power!”

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Also, a television commercial paid for by Reeves’ campaign began airing last week on several networks highlighting similar phrases, concluding “Anna Eskamani can’t speak for us, she’s too busy yelling at us.”

The daily deluge of ads, combined with Eskamani’s massive war chest, hint that the House District 47 could be among the area’s most contested races. The election is Nov. 6.

The district encompassing downtown Orlando, parts of Winter Park as well as Conway, Belle Isle and Holden Heights has been held by both Democrats and Republicans in recent years. Current Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewart held it from 2012-14, when she was defeated by Republican Mike Miller. It’s an open seat because Miller is running against U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Winter Park.

Voter registration data shows District 47 is comprised of 37 percent Democrats, 33 percent Republicans and 28 percent with no party affiliation.

Eskamani, endorsed this week by former President Barack Obama, has called the repeated ads a “smear campaign” and noted the quotes were all out of context. Many of the quotes came from events and rallies she’s emceed, and another from a speech she gave last year at the PechaKucha Night event.

“For me, I think it’s very clear when you can’t win on issues, all you can do is attack me and my character,” she said. “The party of Trump is not a litmus test on decency.”

But Reeves, who owns an architectural firm and the Public Safety Institute in Winter Park, contends a legislator’s temperament matters since he or she makes important decisions on taxes, health care and public safety.

UCF political science professor Aubrey Jewett said the race would be a crucial pickup for Democrats, who hold just 41 of 120 seats in the state House of Representatives.

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“It’s one that Democrats would love to win because it was a Republican seat,” said Jewett, who was a former teacher of Eskamani’s at UCF. “This is the type of seat the Democratic Party has often lost.”

Reeves’ campaign has paid $31,219 to air the commercial on networks such as ESPN, CNN, Fox News and TNT through Oct. 7, records show.

However, mailboxes and airwaves soon could feature additional materials from Eskamani, who has about $275,000 between her campaign and political action committee left to spend, in contrast to Reeves’ $49,000 on hand.

“We’re committed to talking about the issues,” Eskamani said, adding her mailers would highlight gun safety, environmental concerns and public education.

Other mailers put out by Reeves’ campaign have touted his education plan of bolstering teacher pay and expanding vocational schools, as well as his desire to be bipartisan.

One prominently depicts former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, along with their wives, with the words “a return to civility and common sense in our politics.”

“I took some heat for that one,” Reeves said, noting he received angry emails and a letter from some Republican voters.

As of Tuesday, the Florida Democratic Party had sent at least two mailers — one accenting Eskamani’s stances of not denying health care to those with pre-existing conditions, full funding for public schools and a fracking ban, with the other stating she’s “a fighter for all of Orange County’s hardworking families.

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